The rapid expansion of information service and data processing industries has resulted in a need for computer systems to manage and store large amounts of data. As an example, financial service companies such as banks, mutual fund companies or the like often operate complex data processing systems that require access to many hundreds of gigabytes or even terabytes of data and files stored in many high capacity data storage systems. Data storage system developers have responded to these types of data storage requirements by integrating host computer systems such as servers, data communications devices that provide switch fabrics, and large capacity data storage systems into networks called “storage networks” or “storage area networks” (SANs.)
In general, a storage area network is a collection of data storage systems (e.g., multiple disk arrays) that are networked via a switching fabric to a number of host computer systems that operate as servers. For example, host computers of the storage area network couple to and access data stored within the storage systems of the storage area network through a storage area network switch fabric on behalf of client computer systems that request such data. Due to the complexity of modern storage area networks, vendors of equipment that operate in such networks provide storage area network management software applications that allow an administrator of such a network to configure, control and manage resources within the storage area network. As an example, EMC Corp. of Hopkinton, Mass., USA manufactures and sells a storage area network management application referred to as Control Center. Control Center provides a variety of management, configuration and control capabilities for resources that operate in storage area network such as host computer systems, switches and storage arrays.
Conventional storage area network management applications such as Control Center typically provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs) enabling network managers to graphically manage, control and configure various types of hardware and software resources associated with a corresponding managed storage area network. For example, Control Center enables a network manager at a computer associated with the storage area network to request reports of how much data storage capacity within the storage area network is used by respective resources in the storage area network. Based on this information, the network manager can decide, among other things, how to allocate storage resources and determine at what point it is necessary to increase storage capacity of the storage area network.